Card bank remover



May 15, 1956 J.- H. LOGAN CARD BANK REMOVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1952 [NI 'EXTOR.

JTTORNE Y5 May 15, 1956 .1 H. LOGAN CARD BANK REMOVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1952 n E N m T T A United States Patent Ofifice 2,745,408 Patented May 15, 1956 2,745,408 CARD BANK REMovnn John H. Logan, Port Washington, N. Y., assignor to Vne Fax Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application July 5, 1952, Serial N 0. 297,311

5 Claims. (Cl. 12916) The present invention relates to an improved device for handling a bank of file cards for transferring them out of and returning them into a card holder and for functioning as an active card holder while the cards are out of the holder, thus allowing the cards to be checked and handled in the same manner as if they were in the card holder.

In copending application Serial No. 280,122 filed April 2, 1952, there is shown and described a card filing system comprising a holder containing a plurality of spacer panels defining a series of adjoining compartments, each compartment adapted to hold a bank of file cards arranged in definite fanned or spread out relationship and dealing with related subject matter.

One of the features of the present invention is to provide a device for transferring a bank of file cards out of and back into a compartment defined by one of the spacer panels of a file system of the general type described, without disturbing the collocated relationship of the cards.

Another important featureof the present invention is to provide an improved foldable device, which is operable to transfer a bank' of file cards out of and back into a spacer panel compartment of a file system of the general type described, without disturbing the collocated relationship of the cards, and which foldable device can be set up on a desk or elsewhere with the cards retained therein in card display and usable positions.

The card transfer device of the present invention comprises a tray in generally rectangular form carrying a hinged clamp along the top adapted to be swung into position to engage and hold the file cards in their collocated fanned or spread out relationship, and having a hinged card rest movable into card supporting position along the lower edge of said tray; and having a hinged bar folded compactly along the top of the tray and swingable forwardly into position to form a rail for supporting the cards when the cards are released fiom said clamp and are flipped fowardly against said bar. Extending along the sides of the tray are two legs rigid with said rail bar for compact folding therewith close to said tray and swingable therewith into position to support the tray in semi-upright display position.

In operation, when the addition of an entry on a file card, or any other changes in a bank of file cards is desired, the .card transfer device of the present invention, with the rail bar and legs folded against or close to the tray and with the card rest lifted pivotally away from the lower edge of the tray to inoperative position, is lowered down into a compartment within a spacer panel of the filing system-described behind the bank of file cards reposing therein. When the card transfer device reaches thebottom of the, compartment, the clamp is moved over the tops of the cards and into holding engagement with the upper margins of the cards, without disturbing their relative positions, and the device with the cards clampingly secured thereto, is then lifted from the compartment. When the device with the cards therein is withdrawn and is outside the compartment, the rest at the back of the tray is made to swing over the lower edge of the tray and into position to support the cards, the rail bar is swung outwardly and the legs are extended rearwardly and the tray supported in semi-upright display position, and the clamp is then rotated away from the tops of the cards, and they are then ready for movement to have information added to them or taken off, or the information on them may be observed. In this position, the bar extends forward of the tray to form a rail support for the cards as they are flipped forwardly for inspection, replacement or record entry. In this setup standing or display position of the card transfer device,,

the cards may be taken out individually or flipped forwardly for the purpose indicated.

After the necessary or desired operations on the cards have been completed, the clamp is swung back over the upper margins of the cards in position to hold them against the tray, the rail bar and legs are folded back against or close to the tray into inoperative positions, and the card rest is lifted awayfrom the lower edge of the tray into inoperative position. In this condition of the card transfer device, this device with the cards held in their definite original or replaced relationship is lowered into the compartment of the filing system described, until the device reaches the bottom of the compartment, and then the clamp is swung out of gripping position to release the cards. can then be lifted out of the compartment, while the cards remain therein in definite spaced relationship.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the filing apparatus showing its panel container or holder in section; 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective of a modified form I of compartment spacer panel and portions of two other spacer panels, and shows a bank of file cards mounted within one panel and separated into two or more series by a partition or partitions;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one form of compartment spacer panel;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of three of the compartment Fig. 8 is a side view of the card transfer device'shown;

in folded-up inoperative position, except for the card rest, Wi'liCll is shown swung rearwardlv out of card resting position;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section'of the card holdingv clamp showing variation in thickness in the portion that engages the cards; and

Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the card holding clamp taken along lines iii-ill) of Fig. 9, and showing that the clamping element is thinner at the middle than at its ends.

The card transfer device of the present invention particularly shown in Figs. 5 to 10 is adapted to be employed in connection with a filing system or apparatus of the;gen-' eral t pe shown in Figs. 1 to 4. This filing apparatus in Figs. 1 to 4 constitutes broadly the subject matter of the aforesaid copending application, and comprises in gen- 7 eral a holder or container 10 for receiving and holding a series of spacer panels 11, each defining a card compart- The card transfer device merit. This container has a bottom wall 12 and end walls 13 preferably inclined so that the spacer panels 11 may be tipped and supported in sloping position.

Each spacer panel 11 comprises a back wall 15 and side walls 16, with inturned front flanges 17 to define a com partment. The side panel walls 16 in one form are flat.

Each spacer panel i1 is adapted to hold a bank of file cards 20 therein in predetermined spread or fanned collocated relationship; To retain the file cards 20 in this definite relationshi the bottom wall 12 of the container 10 has a series of ridges 21, and the bottom 'edges of the file card 20 are provided with notches 22 for engaging the, ridges 2lto hold the cards against edgewise movement.

Eachflle card 20 is provided with a linear mark24 extending partially across the card from the right hand edge. In mounting the tile cards on the ridgesZl, it is desired to have them so expansively positioned, that the marksZd overlap to form an uninterrupted line across the spacer panel 11. With the cards so arranged, an. observer or'operator can quickly note by a gap, where a card has beentaken out, or where a card upon which notations or entries have been made, is to be replaced.

-The bank of the cards 20 in each spacer panel 11 is divided into different sets by one or more partitions 26. In the specific form shown, the bank of file cards 2% is divided into three sets by two partitions 26, see Fig. 4. The parti- -tions 26 are usually of flexible, transparent material, such as Lucite or the like, and are provided with a series of parallel raised lines 27 to provide a thin layer of air between the partition and the file cards and to thereby prevent the adjoining cards from following the partition when it is tilted from one leaning position to another.

' Each partition 26 also carries an index tab 23 with proper notationthereon, relating to the subject matter 7 4 in display position, to hold said cards and said partitions against 'edgewise movement while so supported.

To assure the proper sidewise positioning of the card transfer device in a panel 11 with respect to the cards therein when said device is lowered into said panel, the lower edge of the tray 40 has a series of notches 52 located to receive the ridges 51 respectively, on the-card rest 46,

when said card rest 46 extends acrossthe lower edge of the tray 40 in card supporting position. With the card rest 46 lifted from the lower edge of the tray'40, and the tray in the spacer panel 11, .thislower tray-edge willbe seated on the bottom container wall 12, with :certain "of its ridges 21 extending into thenotches52, respectively, of said tray, thereby locating the tray properly with'respect to the cards in the spacer panel.

The card transfer device also includes a horizontal bar 55 fcldable compactly along the top of the tray 40 when in inoperative position, andswingable forwardly into position to form a rail support for the cards when said cards are released from the clamp 43' and are flipped forwardly against said bar, as shownin Fig. 5. This bar 55 for that purpose is secured at its ends to two parallel arms 56 flanking the tray 40 -and having combined slide and pivotal connections with a pair of bracketsf57 secured to the sides of the, tray. Each of these connections comprises a headed pivot pin '58 secured'tothe'corresponding'arm 56 and passing through an elongated'slot '60 in the corresponding bracket 57. The arms 56 are thereby permitted to be folded-in compact position along thesides of the tray '40 with the rail fba'r 5'5"lifted.an'd extending across the top of the tray behind the clamp supporting flange 471, in inoperative position of'the card holding device, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Inthis inoperative folded position of the card transfer device, the pivo't'pins 58 on the arms 56 extend throughjthefupper ends of the 2 slots 68in the brackets '57.

To hold the rail 'barSS'in nested "compact inoperative position behind the clamp supporting flange '41; there is provided a stop 59 in the form of'a small angle piece s'ecured to said flange and 'havingan upstanding web in front of and against which the bar is held. j

main body of said tray. Hinged at 42 to the forward longitudinal edge of the flange 41 is a card clamp 43 carrying on-its inner face along its free longitudinal edge a pad 44 of suitable cushioning material, such as sponge rubber. 7

Since the cards 2%) and partitions 26 in each spacer panel '11, against which the clamp 43 is adapted to be pressed into holding engagement, are arranged so that the bank is thickest at the center and tapers in thickness towards the sides, the clamping pad is formed as shown flange 41 is frictionally tight enough, so that the clamp will be held in most any angular position it is set.

Hinged for movement to a position across the lower edge of the tray 40 is a card rest 46, formed to be'the'foot Y flange of an angle piece, the web 47 of the angle piece being hinged at 48, to the rear face of the tray 46. This card rest 46 preferably has a narrow upturned lip 50- extending therealong as protection against the cutting of the operators hand or the injuring of the card panel 11,

as the card'transfer device is lowered into a spacer panel forfcard pick up and removal purposes, and has a series ofridges 51 spaced to angage at least one notch 22 of each card supported on said device and at least one of the notchesfill inthe partition, or partitions, 26, when set up The parts 61 i the arms56helowthe pivot pins 58 serve'as legs to support the'tray 40 in semi-upright "display position and to limit the position of the 'rail bar 55 in extended card "supporting position jshown in Figs, 5 and 6. To so'liniittheposition of'thebarfiithereis' secured to the sides "ofthetray 40cm its rearface, two

stop membcrs'62, eachin th'e form of'an angle'piece, one web of which is aflixed' tothe. tray, the other web servving as the stop to limit angular movement ofthe 'arm le'gs 61. The stop web has a guide "flange"'6 5 adapted to engage the outer face of the corresponding 'artrrleg'l'arrd hold said leg against movement'sidewiseofthe tray 4,0,in

extended display'positi'on of sa'idlegs.

In the operation of thera'il'barfSS andthe'related-elee ments, when the card'transferdevicelis'in'inoperativeposition, the rail bar is raisedpver 'andihehin d the :clamp. 43 and the supporting arms56 extend ,along'thelsidesnf the tray T40 with the'pivot'pins158 on said arms passing through the upper ends'of 'the"'s'lots'60 inthe brackets "57-,

as shown in Figs. 5, 7 and,"8.

When it is desiredjto setup thefcard' transfer 'device in display position shown Fig, 6, fthe bar 55 is ilfliSd' over the clamp 43, until'it clears said clamp and is. then pulled forward beyond said clamp. In 'this' position,

the bar 55 is depressed to causethepins "58 tos'lidedown' wardly along the bracket 'slots60 and "at the'same time".

is brought forwardly, causing the arms 56 to swing about the axis of the pivotypins 58'until the '1eg parts' 61 of said arms. engage thefstop members "62 v In this position of the bar .55, this barserves as .a railfto, support the'file cards which have flbeenflipped iorwardly, while the legs 61 rigid therewithzand .extcddiugrearwardlyof the. tray (it), serve -.to. hold Ithe \trayHst bsta-ntially. in v upright :p ositionshown imFigs. .5; and-,6,

When using the'ca'rd transfer device in connection with the file apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4, while the rail bar 55 is located in elevated inoperative position behind the clamp supporting flange 41, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the clamp 43 is lifted into open position shown in Fig. 5, and the card rest 46 is lifted about its hinge support at 48 away from the lower edge of the tray 40 and in its uppermost position against the back of the tray 40 in the approximate position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 8. The hand of the operator in holding the card transfer device in' this condition would have the palm of his hand extending across the top of the tray 40, while the vfingers of said hand reach behind the tray to hold the card rest 46 in the raised position indicated. With the card transfer device held by the hand in the manner indicated, this device is lowered into the compartment of a spacer panel 11 behind a bank of file cards 20 and their intervening partition or partitions 26, until the notches 52 in the lower edges of the tray 40 receive respective ridges 21 in the floor 12 of the container holding said panel. With the tray 40 so definitely located with respect to the file cards in the panel 11, the clamp 43 is pivoted over and into contact with the upper margins of the file cards, and the device is then lifted from the panel, with the file cards 20 clamped thereto in the positional relationship they held in the panel and with the card rest 46 held in elevated position by the finger of the manipulating hand.

When the card transfer device is lifted out of the panel 11, the card rest 46 is released, causing it to drop pivotally about its hinge support at 48- and into position across the lower edge of the tray 40, as shown in Fig. 7. With the card rest so released, the rail bar 55 is lifted, brought forward of the clamp 43 and simultaneously depressed to cause the arms 56 supporting said bar to swing about the axis pivot pins 58 and at the same time to cause said arms to slide along the slots 60 of the brackets 57, until theleg parts 61 of said arms extend rearwardly of the tray 46 in engagement with the stop members 62 and the bar 55 extends forwardly in position to form a rail, as shown in Fig. 5. The card transfer device can then be set up in display position with the lower card rest 46 and the legs 61 resting on a table surface and the tray extending substantially in upright position, with suflicient rearward and upward inclination to cause the file cards 20 'to rest thereon, when the clamp 43 is released. a j

. In this position of the card transfer device, the clamp 43 is raised to release the file cards 20 and separating partition, or partitions, 26, permitting these cards and partitions to rest on the card rest 46, with a notch 22 from at least each card receiving a ridge 51 from said card rest and some of the notches 30 from the partition receiving respective ridges 51, so that the cards are retained on said card rest in spread position against relarive-sidewise movement, and the partitions are a so held against sidewise movement. With the card transfer device so set up, the file cards 20 can be flipped forwardly against the rail bar 55, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 5, for inspection, or until the card desired to be pulled out is reached. This file card 20 when reached can be taken out, entries made therein, and the card returned in proper position, or the card can be replaced, when desired.

When the necessary operations have been performed on the file cards 29, these cards are flipped back against the tray 40, the clamp 43 is returned by pivoting into position to hold the upper margin of the cards, the rail bar 55 is lifted to a position above and along the top of the clamp against the stop 59, thereby folding the arms 56 in position close to the sides of thetray, and the card rest 46 is lifted against the back of the tray 40. The card transfer device so held is moved to and lowered into the spacer panel 11 from which it withdrew the cards. The clamp 43 is then lifted out of holding engagement with the file cards 20, and the cards released in position in the spacer panel with the notches 22 of said cards and the notches 30 of the partition, or'partitions, 26 engaging the ridges 21 on the bottom 12 of the container 10 in which the panel reposes. The file cards 2i) and partition, or partitions, 26 will thereby be restored in the spacer panel 11, without disturbing the relative positions of said file cards and partitions. The card transfer device can then be taken out of the spacer panel 11 free from the file cards 20.

From the foregoing it will be noted that there is provided a very simple, improved, portable device for quickly removing cards and partitions from their positions in their filing system or apparatus, and be moved without changing their relative positions,'to a handy position ona desk or table near the operator. Any information or changes of information on the faces of the cards, or entries may be quickly accomplished. Also, this portable device for gripping and removing the cards so that they may be placed for easy operation may be reversed in its steps of functioning and the cards returned to their original filing apparatus without being changed in their relative positions to each other.

Experience has shown that this improved device oper ates in a very easy, economical and efiicient manner so as to save a material amount of time and energy of the operator.

It will further be noted from the foregoing description that the parts of the device are simple and cooperate quickly and easily to accomplish the desired result of l. A card transfer device comprising a fiat rectangular f tray for supporting a bank of file cards thereagainst, a pair of parallel arms flanking said tray and pivotally secured intermediate the ends of said arms to the sides of said tray, a bar secured at its ends to the upper ends of said arms, said arms and said bar being folded in,

inoperative position close to said tray and being extended in operative position about their pivotal supports to bring the end sections of said arms opposite, said bar rearwardly toserve as legs in assisting in supporting the tray in substantially upright display position and to bring simultaneously the bar forwardly of said tray in hori zontal position to serve as a rail for supporting the file cards fiippedforwardly from said tray, and slottedbrackets mounted on the sides of said tray for receiving the pivots of said arms, said pivots moving in said slots when said arms and said bar are folded into inoperative;

positions to have said bar extend over the top edge of said tray.

2. A card transfer device comprising a portable thin tray for holding a bank of file cards thereagainst and adapted to be supported in substantially upright display position, a pair of brackets secured to opposite sides of said tray, a pair of parallel arms flanking said tray, a bar secured to the upper ends of said arms, a pivot pin and elongated slot connection between each of said arms intermediate its ends and the corresponding bracket permitting said arms to pivot and also to move along the sides of said tray, thus to allow said arms to be folded in inoperative position in which they extend along the sides of said tray with said bar extending behind'the tray along its top, said arms also to be pivotally and longitudinally extended into operative position to bring the end sections of said arms opposite said bar rearwardly to serve as legs for supporting the tray in substantially upright display position and to bring simultaneously the hold the file cards in predetermined longitudinalspread overlapping relationship in said panel compartment, and a card transfer device adapted to take out a bank of -file cards from said filing compartment and for returning them'to said compartment in the same predetermined positional relationship, comprising a tray of a size to permit said tray to be lowered into said filing compartment behind the bank of file cards therein and having a series of notches along its loweredgeadapted to receive respective ridges on the base of said container when said card transfer deviceis lowered into said panel, releasable clamping means for holding the bank of cards from said filing compartment onto said tray in said predetermined positional relationship thus to allow said cards to be taken out of said compartment with said tray without d l;l.i1'bing their predetermined positional relationship, a

card rest hinged to said tray and movable into card supportinglposition along the lower edge of said tray, said card rest having ridges adapted to extend into respectivesnotches in the lower edge of said tray when in card supporting position, whereby file cards resting on said card rest with notches thereon engaging the ridges on said card rest will be locked against relative sidewise movement while permitting said cards to be removed from said tray;

' 4. A card transfer device adapted to take out a predetermined number of .file cards from a card index file apparatus and to maintain said cards in spaced relationship and return said cards to said apparatus in the same spaced relationship,-comprising a portable thin tray for cards against said tray while'they are being removed from said card file apparatus and for releasing said cards when said transfer device is in substantially upright display position, arm means for supporting said .tray in display position outside of said apparatus, said arms being folded againstpsaid tray during the removal'of said cards and being extended during display position, said arms having their lower ends extending to the back of said tray and having the tops thereof extending forward of said tray, abar between the forward ends of said arms for receiving said cards'when they are tipped awayfrom said tray, and separate means carried by said tray and separate from said releasable clamp'for movement into engagement with the bottom edge of said tray and to extend forwardly therefrom to receive and hold said index cards,-said sepaat mean ha nsex ens q s. thereeaifqr enga in aatah th bot om ed e of s id anasta! h diaa said in P d ten ine sp ced .re a ienship dams dimlay- A fil card ansf r ex caeemn isie a portable an i y fl y fo ilse tien in be ween a se s-9f collocated in ex c rds wi h notche in th i hott and being held in a file card index apparatus to mi 1 11 and remove fromsaid apparatus a predetermined number of said index cards and to maintain said cards in theirv spread collocated relationship, said predetermined puma ber of cards being less than all of thec'ards .in-said appafratus, pivoted means mounted ,on thetop edgetof'said-t-ray for movement against the tops of said cards when said. tray has been inserted in said card index apparatustohold said cards while said transfer device and the selected cards are being moved to a position outside of said card file apparatus, said pivoted means being movable thereafter to non-card engaging position, foldable means carried by said tray and being folded against the sides of said tray while removing said predetermined selected number of means having a supporting element which automatically-- moves to a position in front of said tray when said tray 4 is in display position for receivingcards which have been tipped away from said tray, and a foot pivoted on the bottom edge of said tray and positioned against the back of said tray during time ofengaging and removing cards from said index apparatus and being swung to the front of said tray for engaging the bottom edges of said cards when said pivoted means at the top of said tray has re-.

leased said cards after removal from said file card apparatus, said foot being provided with ridges for receiving the notches in the bottoms of said cards thereby holding said cards from lateralmovement out of their collogated relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent 207,967 'Hudson Sept. 10, 1878 7 790,578 Kirby May 23, 1905 1,469,798 Martin Oct. 9, '1923 1,564,594 Leh Dec. '8, 1925 1,720,274 Holden 'July19, 1929, 1,883,255 Unger Oct. 18, 1932 2,086,839 Arce July 13,1937 2,273,584 Moore Feb. .17, 1942 2,330,953 Copeland Q Oct. 5, 1943 2,439,943 Martin Apr. 20,1?1948 I, FOR IGN A E TS 400,606 Germany 1924 932,250 France Nov. 17,}19477 

